LARGE PRINT MENUS Friendly’s Restaurant Now Offering Large Print Menus

August 19, 2010 – Oswego, NY - Great news for individuals who have difficulty reading the print on restaurant menus due to vision loss: Friendly’s is now the third restaurant in Oswego to offer a large-print menu to patrons.
 
On August 16, Patrick Dewine, Manager of the Friendly’s Restaurant on Bridge Street in Oswego,  accepted eight copies of the large-print menus from members of the Vision Network,  an advocacy group which works to make access to the community easier for individuals with vision loss.  The menus, with items and price written in a 36-point bold font, are available by asking the server. Descriptions of the dishes are omitted to make it easier to navigate the page.
Laura Smith, President of Oswego County Visually Impaired (OCVI), a support group, retyped the menu and ARISE arranged for printing and collating.  Bea Welch accompanied Laura and Sabine Ingerson, Chairperson of the Vision Network and Director of ARISE in Oswego to make the presentation to Mr. Dewine. He thanked the Vision Network representatives for the donation of the menus, and believes that there a quite a few customers who would enjoy them.
When previewing a copy of the menu, a Vision Network participant said “I’m so glad to learn about this option as I have friends who need assistance reading the items on the regular menu.”
It is important to spread the word about the availability of these large-print menus as they are another step in increasing independence for persons with vision loss. Vision loss can be caused by cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, other diseases, or just by growing older. Large print menus in Oswego can be found at Canale’s, Bridie Manor, and now Friendly’s.
ARISE works with individuals with all types of disabilities and has a goal to make our communities accessible to all. “Being a part of the Vision Network furthers our mission,” Sabine Ingerson said. “We partner with individuals with vision loss and representatives of the Office for the Aging and OCO to advocate for positive change.” In addition to the large print menus the group has been instrumental in retaining Call-N-Ride in Oswego County, and works to educate on issues affecting those with vision loss.
For more information, contact Sabine Ingerson at 342-4088 extension 210

Idaho Begins Large Print Menu Campaign

During an orientation at the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired some teens discussed how much they hated going to restaurants and having to ask their friends to read the menus for them. These comments sparked a statewide campaign to have large print/high contrast menus as well as braille menus placed in all Idaho restaurants.
The ICBVI has teamed with the Idaho Lodging and Restaurant Association, Idaho Lions Clubs, Lt. Gov. Brad Little's office, the SW Idaho Chapter of the National Federation for the Blind and the Idaho Council of the Blind to make it easy for restaurants to comply with this request.
Idaho restaurant owners are asked to join in this effort by having large print menus available in their restaurants. There would be no cost and really no effort other than getting a copy of menu to the ICBVI. If the business is a customer of FSA or Sysco, they will print one or two menus for free the next time new menus are requested. For others, simply get a menu to a local Lions Club member or directly to the ICBVI and it will be turned into large print and returned. The participating restaurant will also receive a sticker like the one below to let prospective customers know that the business is taking part in this program. Again there will be no cost, with the ICBVI doing all the printing and teaming with the Idaho Lodging and Restaurant Association in paying for the stickers. In addition the business will be listed on the ICBVI website, as well as the ILRA website and newsletter.
For more information, e-mail the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired at rthomas@icbvi.idaho.gov. Menus can also be mailed to the ICBVI at 341 W. Washington, Boise, ID. 83720, or given to any Lions club member. This program will not only help the visually impaired across the state of Idaho, but also has the potential to increase business.

Large print menus

LaCosta Restaurant was the first restaurant in the state of Idaho to get the new large print menus for the blind. Pictured from left: Candy Harris and Julie Bohman from the Idaho Commission of the Blind; Maria and Jose German, owners of LaCosta Restaurant; Al Schneider and Ron Coates and Charles Gordon Emmett Lions Club members. 

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